Lance Corporal Walter Knox

Lance Corporal Walter Knox, 1st/6th ( Territorial ) Battalion, Black Watch. He was killed by a sniper in France, aged 28, on the 24th June 1915. he had been born in Jedburgh and was the son of the late Robert Knox, saddler of Jedburgh and Jessie Knox of Galashiels. He had served his apprenticeship as a gardener at Hartrigge, Jedburgh and was working for Sir Stuart Coats in Perthshire when he enlisted in the local Territorial Battalion in September 1914. He landed in France with the Battalion in May 1915. At this time the Battalion were in front line trenches and suffered casualties from shellfire and sniping. He is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. The Battalion was part of the 153rd Brigade in the 51st ( Highland ) Division and after the War an impressive Memorial was raised in its commemoration. It was erected on the Somme overlooking “Y” Ravine which was captured when the Division stormed the strong German positions in the village of Beaumont Hamel. A Plaque on the Memorial reads in both English and Gaelic ” Friends Are Good On The Day Of Battle”.